Abstract

This paper provides a critical review of aid effectiveness in Bangladesh . It focuses on the contributions of three major, high-profile donors: the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Government of Japan (GOJ). In assessing aid effectiveness, the paper uses a qualitative triangulation approach based on the subjective judgments of donors and recipients. This approach is dictated by the deficiencies of quantitative methods for this purpose and the lack of adequate and reliable quantitative data. The paper then discusses the causes of aid ineffectiveness. As this theme has a wider resonance beyond Bangladesh, the discussion next turns to the experiences of the developing world as a whole. Recommendations for making aid more effective follow, and the paper ends with some concluding remarks.

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